Broken Dolls
by Winddragon Eternal
Summary: When Brittany is approached by a shy yet mysterious girl, she gets invited to a sleepover. But Brittany will soon discover that she must face her childhood fears, and things are not what they appear to be. Based on an idea written by SimonxJeanette.
1. Chapter 1

Before I begin, I'd like to thank _SimonxJeanette_, aka Rose, for making this happen.

While helping her with her story Insanity, we agreed that so much could be done from so many ideas; and with her permission, I could write an adaptation with the ideas that didn't go into her story.

Let it be clear that I am not plagiarizing or stealing from anyone, and that the original story belongs to _SimonxJeanette_.

Apart from that, happy reading and please review! Feedback will be much appreciated.

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Invitation**

Brittany Miller hated the library.

In fact, it was the last place she wanted to be – on a Saturday morning, of all days. Why would she, when she could be at the mall with her group of cheerleaders, or practicing new songs for her next gig?

Or better still, she could've been hanging out with her boyfriend; the chipmunk of every girl's dreams.

Thoughts of Alvin filled Brittany's head: Alvin with his trademark red cap, Alvin with his irresistible smile, Alvin with the grin-and-wink combo that had all the girls screaming for him–

Then she remembered why she was here in the first place. Apparently, spending so much time with Alvin and her other priorities had earned Brittany her umpteenth ticket to the principal's office. As much as nobody wanted to admit it, Brittany was slipping in her grades – so much that she was on the brink of flunking several classes.

Her solution came down to two choices: Saturday school, or being forced to stay back another year. Inexcusable, even for a pop princess like Brittany.

And so it was that Brittany found herself buried under a pile of textbooks, with a History remedial test next week looming over her like a dark cloud.

_This is so unfair!_ Brittany thought as she scribbled away furiously. _Everyone gets to sleep late and enjoy the weekend, but what about me? An extra day of school and more homework! There should be a law against going to school on Saturdays!_

She thumped the textbook in front of her, sending up thin motes of dust particles. Now she was punching holes in her notebook, filing the pages with countless pencil-marks that she didn't notice a shadow lingering in the corner.

A light tap on her shoulder caused Brittany to shriek, as though someone had put a pin under her seat. She jumped up, glancing around to find the culprit. "Geez, don't do that, you creep! You scared me!"

Standing behind Brittany was a girl, towering over her slightly, though not in an unthreatening manner. In a way, she reminded Brittany of her sister Eleanor, as this stranger had blonde hair tied up in pigtails. But the resemblance ended there. Unlike Eleanor, this girl had little black ribbons plaited in her hair, and even on her neck. And she was a rather skinny thing, if she could fit into a tight old-fashioned petticoat, complete with stockings and black shoes.

In fact, she was dressed almost… like a doll.

"H-hi! You've got some dirt on your nails," the girl pointed out.

Brittany rolled her eyes as she spread her nails. "Duh, it's not dirt, it's glitter!" _Seriously, where's your fashion sense? Or did you come out of a time capsule, Little Miss House on the Prairie?_

"I'm… I'm sorry." The girl's bubbly voice dropped to a quavering whisper. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'll just… go then." She started to back away.

"Wait!" Even if the library was putting her in a bad mood, it didn't seem right to take it out on someone else. Brittany let out a sigh.

"Are you new here?"

The other girl was silent. Instead, she held out her hand with a smile. "I'm Lily. Lily Perkins."

"Brittany Miller." The chipette looked down at Lily's hand, wondering if she should shake it. "How come I've never seen you before?"

"Dunno. But I've always been around here. I'm always around…" For some reason, there was something unsettling about the way she said it, as though she took pride in that fact.

"Anyways," said Lily, her voice growing excited with each second, "guess what? I'm having a slumber party tonight, and you're invited!"

"Really? Who else is coming?"

"Just a few of us. There were some girls in your class… I think they might be cheerleaders."

"You mean Amber and Sarah?" asked Brittany, but Lily didn't seem to hear her. "Gee… I don't know. I mean, I have to study and all–"

By now, Lily had leaned in so close that Brittany could almost see herself in the girl's china-blue eyes.

"It'll just be for one night! A-and we'll do each other's makeovers and have tea parties and truth or dare… Come on, please? I promise we'll have a great time!"

"Wait a minute," said Brittany, backing away slowly. "What's the catch?"

"Nothing, honest! I really want to get to know you better? It's just that I… I don't have many friends…"

Brittany watched as Lily's head drooped a little, her puppy-dog eyes on the verge of tears.

_Why am I suddenly feeling so guilty? I don't even know this girl in the first place! And I have a freaking History remedial to prepare for!_

But deep down, another voice was screaming at her. _You shouldn't have acted all accusing towards Lily. She was only trying to be nice! Besides, what's wrong with a little sleepover? Unless you're chicken._

Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all, thought Brittany as she looked more closely at Lily.

_If she's really inviting Amber and Sarah, then hey, I'll still have some close friends to keep me company. And I'm sure Alvin will understand if I make up some lame excuse to cancel our date tonight…_

Besides, a slumber party certainly beat having to study for a test she knew she was going to fail anyway.

"Okay, fine. Count me in."

* * *

_This can't be it_, thought Brittany as she held up the scrap of paper in her hand.

Scrawled in Lily's cursive, archaic-like handwriting was the address she'd jotted down. At first, Brittany thought she might've made a wrong turn. But there it was again – written on the mailbox on the side of the curb to confirm her suspicions

There was a sharp, sudden scream as the mailbox door clattered to the ground. A spider scurried out of its black gaping mouth.

Brittany jumped, her heart skipping a beat as she stared in horror at the sight before her.

Behind a rusty iron gate that hung half-torn on its hinges, there stood an old, Victorian mansion – the kind most people would recognize from old-fashioned photographs. It must have laid at the mercy of years of fierce sun and harsh rain, for Brittany could see flakes of white paint – now greying – hang in sharp, jagged curls off the walls.

Tonight was a pale moonlit sky, and it cast the place in a huge shadow. More mouths appeared in the forms of empty windowless panes, as though the house was screaming a warning at would-be trespassers.

There were no other houses in sight. No cars, no fences, not even a playground. Nothing stood next to this mansion, and for good reason – in the middle of the barren lawn, a dead tree stood guard; its rotting, distorted branches like limbs waiting to grab and ensnare any unfortunate soul that wandered close by.

As she inched closer to the gates, Brittany stumbled on a crack, nearly falling flat on her face. She was starting to regret her decision, wondering if she could turn back and run away.

_Now remember, you promised you'd give Lily a chance. Just get it over and be done with. _

With a half-hearted sigh, she gave the gate a gentle push. It creaked; a slow, sad wail as its edges scraped against the rough earth. Taking great care to avoid the creepy-looking tree, Brittany almost ran up to the front porch, gasping in relief as she rang the doorbell.

The sound of the bell from within the house was just as welcoming as the iron gates. It took three more tries before the door swung open, revealing Lily in a creamy white nightgown with little pink flowers dotted along the hems.

"Brittany! You finally came!" She was still wearing her hair in ribbons, her pigtails bouncing with delight. "I'm so glad you could make it!"

"It's nothing, really," said Brittany, faking a smile. "Thanks for having me. Are the others here?"

"Oh, about that… Amber just called. She can't make it because she's sick with the stomach flu. And Sarah dropped by earlier to tell me she has some last-minute babysitting job tonight. So I guess it's just the two of us!"

Maybe it was just the moon, but Brittany could have sworn Lily's face was glowering as she finished the last sentence – it was almost as if she didn't want the other girls to be here in the first place.

Alarm bells and whistles were going off in Brittany's mind.

_Too late to drop out now._

Her feet felt heavy, yet they were dragged over the threshold and into the living room. Behind her, the doors swung with a resounding crash, any possible chance of an escape now sealed away.

"Come on! I'll show you to my room!" said Lily. Taking her guest by the hand, both the girl and chipette went up a winding staircase.

On the first step, a creak like a high-pitched scream burst under Brittany's feet. She jumped, half-expecting the staircase to break apart and swallow her whole. The hallway was narrow, and once or twice Brittany caught sight of a few stern-looking gentleman glaring down at her from their prisons of portrait frames.

Even with a candle held by Lily to guide them, Brittany felt as though she was walking in complete darkness. Everything loomed over her with an ominous presence. She wanted to tear her eyes away from everything in sight – everything except the dim outline of Lily leading the way. And everything – even the walls – seemed to be covered in a thin layer of dust.

_What the heck is this, the Addams Family? I thought she was just freaky, but so is her house! She's got the whole creepy package!_

"Wow, I really like your house, Lily. It's quite… big!" said Brittany, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Thanks. I'm sorry if the place looks a mess, but we usually get our servants to tidy up."

"You have servants?" _Dang it, now she's rubbing it in my face!_

"Yeah, but Daddy fired them last week. He couldn't trust them anymore."

"Oh. Where are your parents anyway?" asked Brittany, suddenly realizing no one else was here.

"My parents?"

"Uh, yeah? You know, a Mom and Dad?"

"I… I don't have a Mom. She left us when I was still a baby. Daddy takes care of me now, but he's gone away on a business trip." Lily stopped mid-step, turning around as she smiled. "You'll like my Daddy. He always gives me hugs and kisses. Sometimes, I think he loves me more than he loved Mom…"

"Okay…" _Why on earth would she tell me that?_

They arrived at the top, where a passage like a yawning mouth greeted them. After walking through another hallway, this time lined with mirrors on both sides, the girls finally reached the end.

A door, much like the one Brittany saw at the house's front. Tarnished it was, complete with a rusty handle and holes that could only have been made by termites, or something worse.

Undaunted, Lily turned the knob and led them in.

* * *

Brittany couldn't believe her eyes. At first, she thought she was in the wrong house.

The room she now found herself in was covered in all shades of pink – from a light baby hue on the ceiling, to a darker, cotton candy floss spreading across the entire floor. Even the little patterns of white flowers that decked the walls were traced in faint pink outlines.

Somewhere inside Brittany, she fought against the triumphant smug of her own inner voice. _See? What did I tell you? And you didn't want to give Lily a chance. Shame on you!_

There was an antique four-poster bed that stood in the middle of the room, but something else had grabbed Brittany's attention. It lay at the foot of the bed.

A wooden chest – much like the ones she saw in those pirate movies, complete with a key and a lock.

Lily was all smiles, as though she could read Brittany's thoughts. "Oh, that's my toy chest! Would you like to see my secret collection? I've never shown it to anyone."

"Um, sure. Why not?"

As Brittany watched, Lily knelt down until she was level with the chest. Turning the key, the lock snapped open with a clack. She pushed the lid up, standing aside proudly to let Brittany lean forward.

The chipette took a peek. Immediately, she recoiled in horror, trying to fight back the scream bursting from her throat.

There, in the chest below, lay Brittany's childhood demons.

* * *

**_To Be Continued..._**

_~ Wind_


	2. Chapter 2

Just a brief reminder: this story was based on the one written by _SimonXJeanette_, but I've used my own ideas to make this version different from hers. Hope you enjoy, and please review!

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Dollmaster**

**Dolls.**

Everywhere Brittany looked, the chest was filled with dolls – lifeless, yet eerily human-like bodies piled atop one another.

They stared back at her with glassy, unblinking eyes, their porcelain-perfect faces etched in a permanent grin, as though doomed to smile forever.

They looked so lifelike. But they were not real.

Suddenly, she was ten years old again, waking up from her bed screaming and sweaty from her nightmares. She remembered Miss Miller running into the room, worried that something had happened to Brittany as she rocked the crying chipette in her arms. Through her tears, Brittany wailed that she didn't want to sleep another night with the dolls staring back at her.

But Brittany, these dolls were given to you by your fans, Miss Miller had reasoned. They're your presents.

_No! I don't want them! They're ugly! I hate them! And I hate it when people stare at me everyday! I need my privacy! I don't want to be famous anymore! _

After whining and pleading like a spoilt brat, Brittany got her wish. She remained a star in the eyes of the public. As long as she never played with those creepy dolls again.

She remembered that great sense of relief when she gave them all away – except for the Alvin doll she got for her birthday and the occasional stuffed animal.

Jolted back to the present, Brittany felt her knees tremble as she watched her dark past come back to haunt her. They were resilient, like a disease.

No, like her fans.

Her ever watchful fans who waited for her to slip up. To make one tiny mistake. Then Brittany realized the dolls had something else in common.

They were all broken. Shattered. Never to be whole and loved again.

She could see an arm, a leg, or even two scattered at the bottom of the chest; thin and smooth as bones, all ending in a narrow joint-like knob. There were also china dolls with cracks that tarnished their looks, pieces of shards that once belonged to a face, and even – Brittany was now whiter than a sheet – a single custom-made doll eye that rolled lazily around the wooden chest.

She wanted nothing more than to slam the lid down, to set the whole thing on fire.

Horrified, Brittany could only watch as Lily, with a nonchalant shrug, reached into her treasure trove and fished something out, cradling it in her arms.

It was a bride doll wearing a white gown with a train, but its lizard-like frills and enormous, clown-like headdress turned the whole outfit into a sinister mockery of itself. With one leg gone, Brittany was certain no doll would even consider marrying this crippled plaything.

Lily was all smiles as she thrust the doll in front of her guest. "This here is Annabel. She's my favorite. But sometimes when I'm angry with her, I just _rip off her head!_"

Taking the doll by the neck, she gave it a twist. The head came off with a loud pop like a cork exploding from a wine bottle.

"I have to punish her sometimes, you know," said Lily. She held up her prized trophy with its vacant expression, dangling it as a cat would with a dead mouse. "Annabel can be a very, very bad dolly…"

_Oh my God… She's worse than creepy – she's sick!_

If the doll were alive, Brittany was certain it would be screaming with agony.

In fact, Brittany could swear that she saw a red trickle flowing down the decapitated doll's neck.

A trickle that looked awfully like –

"Oh gosh, look at the time! Gee, I'd love to stay, but I really have to go now…" Brittany started to back away, inching closer to the door.

Lily's eyes were now fixed on Brittany's, narrowed down to a feline ferocity. "And where do you think you're going?"

"I… uh… just remembered – I have a study group I was supposed to attend tonight! Yeah, my History study group! We'll have that sleepover another time, okay?"

"B-but you can't leave! You… you just got here! We haven't even had our tea party yet!"

As she said this, Brittany could see that Lily was now frantically scratching herself, her long, sharp nails digging deeper into the flesh of her arms.

"I'm sorry, Lily, but I can't stay here any longer," said Brittany, trying her best to sound firm but gentle. "It was nice knowing you though."

In a single flash of movement, Lily's body went rigid. The once shy and demure face scrunched itself up into a malicious glare, fists tightly clenched.

"I knew it! You're just like everyone else! You think I'm a freak!" She broke into thick, raucous sobs. "Why do you hate me so much? _Why won't you play with me?_"

Lily's voice had reached an entirely new, inhuman screech as she began clawing at her own arms. She kept on screaming, unaware of the fresh, crooked marks that scored themselves over her skin, drawing fine lines of blood.

"Play with me! _Play with me!_"

Brittany screwed her eyes tight, hunched over as she shielded her ears from the din. "Okay, okay! Fine! Just shut up! _SHUT UP_!"

The screaming came to an abrupt halt. As Brittany looked up, she saw what her words did. A shock came over Lily, the look on her tear-streaked face completely one of hurt and full of rejection.

Brittany quickly forced a smile, changing to a different approach. "I mean… sure, I'll stay and play with you. L–let's… sit over here, shall we?"

"You really mean it?" A hiccough escaped Lily's quivering lips.

Brittany nodded. Her legs were trembling as she took her place behind the little doll's table all prepared in the middle of the floor. She gestured for Lily to do the same.

Lily began setting up empty cups, placing a doll behind each cup. Finally, she sat the headless Annabel beside her, holding out a teapot.

"Now that we're all here," said Lily in a bright voice, "we can finally start our tea party! Does anybody care for a drink? Annabel? Jeanie? Susie?" She glanced away from her dolls. "Brittany?"

"I – I…uh…" _I gotta get out! Just think of something to say! _"I think I'll pass, if that's okay?"

"No, silly! You're supposed to say 'Yes, please.'"

"R-really, I'm fine, Lily. Thanks, but no thanks."

"But I want you to drink with me," said Lily, her voice growing softer. "You can't go to a tea party and not drink tea, can you?"

Taking a deep breath, Brittany forced a smile across her lips. "Okay. Yes, please?"

She watched as Lily took her empty cup, pouring in what appeared to be a clear trickle of dark-brown fluid, before handing it back. Clenching her teeth together, Brittany tilted her cup ever so slightly, letting as little of the burnt-tasting drink as possible pass through her lips.

"Do you like it? It's my special blend of oolong!" Lily declared, holding out the teapot again. "How about another cup?"

Brittany fought back the urge to gag, shaking her head violently.

"No! You must have some more! It's my special blend! I made it just for our special night!" To Brittany's horror, Lily began picking again at her own arm.

"W-wait! How… how about some cookies? I'm sure they'll taste even better with our tea!"

She heaved a sigh as Lily stopped mid-scratch, her face brightening.

"Hey, you know what? That's a great idea! Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back!" Like a shot, Lily got up and bolted out of the room.

The door slammed shut. The key turned in the lock, leaving Brittany all alone.

* * *

In a fear-filled rush, Brittany grabbed the teapot and hurled it across the carpets. It dashed into a thousand fragments all over the room, its contents soaking into the fabrics.

The chipette had made up her mind. She had to get out of this hellhole, as far away as possible from this tomb of broken dolls.

Brittany made a dash for the room's exit. She rattled the doorknob. Nothing happened. She even threw herself against the door, sending a jarring pain up her shoulder.

But the door did not budge an inch.

Panic started to creep up her back as Brittany scouted the place, looking desperately for another way out. And then she saw her chance – the windows! Quickly, she ran over to inspect the windowpanes.

With a slight push, the frames swung open, wailing loudly on their rusty hinges. Brittany peeked out, taking in the fresh night air. And then her heart sank.

If she jumped, she would've landed in what appeared to be the house's back garden. But it wasn't the bricked-up fence surrounding the yard that discouraged Brittany – it was the long, slender iron _spikes_ that seemed to shoot up from the walls, curled into a forest of witches' fingernails.

There were specks of dried blood and – a wave of nausea almost threatened her to pass out – a couple of birds unfortunate enough to land on those spikes; skewered like a grotesque shish kebab, never to move again while waiting for the crows to pick them off.

Even if she had missed the fence, the fall would have been high enough to break her leg. Or worse…

The house seemed to be taunting her, with the promise of only one outcome. There was simply no escape from here.

A sob broke through as Brittany thought of Alvin; wrapping his arm around her shoulder and telling her everything was going to be okay.

Brittany felt like crying. She wanted Miss Miller. She wanted her sisters. And she wanted Alvin. Now more than ever.

Then something inside Brittany snapped. Her gaze fell back to the chest lurking at the foot of the bed.

She hated that chest and everything in it that made her childhood a living hell.

Not caring anymore for manners, Brittany stormed over to the bed. She screamed with pure hatred and rage, beating her fists over the chest and aiming a well-deserved kick at its side. The lid burst open like a gunshot, shaking the dolls inside.

As Brittany paused to collect herself, catching her breath, she thought she could hear a faint, rustling noise coming from deep within the chest.

Her ears perked up as she strained closer to listen. It was low at first, but slowly, surely, it grew into a keening wail, like the sound of a child crying.

Or, as she recalled kicking the chest, the sound of a child in pain.

_Did… did I really do that?_ Bracing herself, Brittany knelt down and carefully peeked into the chest.

The dolls were still there; broken and tattered, but looking no different from when she first saw them. Yet try as she might, Brittany couldn't shake her uneasiness about the wailing: it was definitely coming from inside the chest, and she had to get to the bottom of it.

Quite literally.

Brittany rolled up her sleeve, wincing as she plunged her arm into the sea of dolls. She shuddered as she felt the hard, icy-cold plastic brush against her fur – at any second, the dolls would grab hold of her and pull her downwards. She stirred about carefully, worried that the slightest sudden movement would upset the dolls. Yet the wailing continued, growing harsh and shriller like nails on a chalkboard.

A sharp pain bit her, and Brittany quickly yanked her arm back, as though the dolls were suddenly red-hot. She caught sight of a few drops of blood and almost blacked out again.

There was a broken shard of china, lodged in the flesh of her arm like a splinter. From the looks of it, it must have been a piece of a doll's face. It took Brittany all her courage as she grit her teeth, grabbing hold onto the splinter. At first it seemed stuck, but with a firm tug, she yanked it free from its prison.

_I can do this. I just need to face my fears!_

This time, Brittany dove back into the chest and pushed all the dolls to the corners. But she wasn't prepared for the sight that awaited her at the bottom.

As if by some unknown force controlling her every move, Brittany was thrown back a few inches away. Scurrying on her knees, she backed away until she collided with the walls.

The scream that burst from her throat was one of complete shock and fear.

For deep within the bowels of the chest, she saw a doll in the exact likeliness of someone she least expected.

_Herself_.

* * *

**_To Be Concluded_...**

Yup, you heard right. The end is nigh. Only one more chapter to go.

~ Wind


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Escape**

Everything that happened tonight felt like a bad dream as pain shot through Brittany's back. Slowly, she gathered herself back on her feet.

The wailing had stopped. Instead, the despicable chest lay in front of her; its lid agape like an open mouth, silently mocking Brittany for her cowardice.

She clenched her fists. _No! I'm not going to let some creepy girl and her toys spook me! I'm a major celebrity, for crying out loud!_

Once more, Brittany approached the chest. She picked up the doll, glancing at it with a mixture of disgust and interest.

The wretched thing was as long as Brittany's arm – from the tip of her hand right up to her elbow. It felt hard like plastic, even as she ran her hands through the pieces of synthetic fabric that clothed it. Every strand of blonde hair on its head was in place. Every patch of auburn fur was in its precise location. The pink top was just like the one she wore frequently.

Even its eyes were the exact shade of Brittany's baby blues.

It was like staring back at her own self – whilst being held in the arms of a complete stranger.

Her finger slipped and pressed deep into the doll's stomach, leaving a hollow dent in its dress. The chipette choked back a gasp. _Oh crap. Did I break it?_

Then she heard her voice – loud and clear – echo throughout the room.

"_Hi! I'm Brittany, and I'm a pop star! Do you wanna play?"_

A shudder traversed down Brittany's spine as her hands clutched firmly around the doll. Throughout her years as a singer, Brittany had lost track of all the songs she had covered; she couldn't even remember how many commercials she had been paid to star in.

But there was no way she would ever say that cheesy liner – not even for a million dollar deal.

"_I wanna party all night long!"_

This time, the voice caught her by surprise. The doll slipped through her fingers as thought it was a red-hot iron. It fell to the floor, a loud clatter as it twitched like an insect – once – before lying still.

"Oh darn. You found my surprise. And I was going to wait until later to give it to you."

Brittany turned around. There was Lily, standing in the doorway with a tray of stale cookies in her arms. Unless it was the dim light playing tricks, there was an aura surrounding her that suggested everything was all peaches and cream.

"You know what? I've had it! I've had enough! If this is some kind of sick practical joke, you got me. Haha." Brittany glanced furiously around the room, raising her head to scream at the ceiling. "Okay, laugh it up, you suckers! Where are the cameras, huh?"

Instinctively, Lily hunched her shoulders, her voice starting to quiver. "I… I don't know what you mean? H-how about a cookie?" She held up one half-heartedly.

"Don't play dumb with me, Lily. This Addams Family house of yours? The dolls? It's obvious you're setting me up! And I know you wanted my friends to be a part of this, but they were good enough not to betray me! So guess what? I still win!"

Seeing the hurt that shrouded Lily, Brittany was suddenly reminded of how _she_ felt every time she read an article about herself in one of those disgusting tabloid magazines. Still, if she could hide her feelings behind some bratty exterior, then surely Lily was playing the same ballgame, but in reverse?

"Gosh, Brittany… How could you think of me like this? I never meant to hurt you at all, I swear! I.. I just wanted to be your friend."

"You're not my friend, you _freak_." Brittany stressed on the last word, a confident hostility now returning to her voice. "You never were in the first place. And I don't want your creepy puppets. I want out of here, right now!"

There was a moment's silence. A tear coursed down Lily's cheek before she let out a defeated sigh.

"Okay. But now… I need to tell you the truth. I brought you here tonight for a reason."

The smug look on Brittany faded away. "What d'you mean?"

The floorboards creaked under the weight of Lily's footsteps as she slowly advanced towards Brittany.

"You know… you're not the first girl who's called me a freak. In fact, I've been called other things too. Like, _Daddy's girl_. _Crazy Lily_. _Demon child_. _Spawn_."

She picked up the Brittany doll, crooning and caressing it like a loving mother would. Then she looked up at the real Brittany and hissed:

"_Witch_.

"As I told you, I don't have many friends… So I figured, if nobody likes me, I need to get them to. But how? And then, I met you."

Watching Lily's eyebrows bunch together gave Brittany the impression of a tiger stalking its prey. _What the hell is she talking about?_

Then it hit her.

"But you're not just any ordinary girl, right? Oh no. I know all about you, Brittany _Miller_." Lily held the doll up to her face. With every word she spoke, the doll dangled, as though speaking with Lily's voice. "Head cheerleader, pop princess, international celebrity. Imagine what people will say… when I have the best friend a girl could possibly have."

_She's one of those psycho fans! How long has she been stalking me? _

"Someone who I can play with…"

_She doesn't belong here – she belongs in the madhouse!_

"To keep me company…"

_She's… she's pure evil!_

"And now I have you… all to myself."

Every instinct in Brittany was telling her to run. But her muscles refused to budge; her legs were glued to the spot as though held down by a curse.

"Here, you were meant to have this. So take it!"

Lily thrust the doll in front of Brittany. Horrified, the chipette backed away.

One second, her heel struck against the foot of the chest. The next, gravity shifted as she tilted backwards and fell.

Her back hit solid wood and other pieces of plastic.

Then the lid swung down with a resounding click and darkness swallowed her up.

Panic arose. Brittany was trapped in the chest.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, scratching her nails against wood as she kicked and clawed and pounded frantically. In the darkness, she could feel the dolls swarming all around her.

They were suffocating her, slowly pulling her downwards like quicksand.

Soon, she would be buried alive in a grave of her worst fears. And perhaps… she would make a fine addition to Lily's toy chest.

* * *

This was not how she imagined her death to be.

Brittany thrashed about like a caged beast. Using her weight as a battering ram, she shoved herself back and forth, up and down.

The chest and the sea of dolls rocked and thumped on all sides, like a wave crashing down mercilessly on her.

She pushed herself to the left, giving one final shove.

The chest toppled over on its side with a deafening crash, spitting out Brittany and its contents. Trying to steady herself, her hand accidentally came down on a china fragment. It broke, piercing her skin as she drew in a gasp of pained air.

Lily was upon her in a flash; a pair of hands digging into her shoulders while she was being hoisted to her feet.

"Oh my gosh! Are you all right? Here, let me help you up."

She smiled, and Brittany caught a whiff of her breath. It was the unmistakable stench of soil; accompanied by the reek of lavender – dried up and withered for days.

"Good! Now, I'll get the cookies. We still need to finish our tea party, don't we?"

* * *

The strings holding Brittany's composure finally snapped.

"Get away from me, you crazy bitch!"

Rage like never before inside of Brittany lashed out as she shoved Lily to the floor. The doll dropped from Lily's hands and hit the ground.

Then Lily's weight shifted as she fell on top of the doll.

There was a crunch. A gasp.

Then silence.

As Lily rolled over to inspect, Brittany fought back a scream as she saw a mangled, disfigured version of herself sprawled out on the carpets.

Had Brittany been in the doll's position, there would have been a huge gap in her face where her left cheek was supposed to be. And she would be a cripple forever, a one-armed freak whose shoulder was nothing more than a broken jagged stump, unable to be fixed anymore.

She could have said she was sorry. She could have helped the poor girl up.

But it was Lily who fell on her own doll in the first place, wasn't it? And all of this, everything that happened tonight – it was all Lily's fault.

The door was left wide open, and with it, Brittany saw her chance.

"I… I'm out of here!"

Whether it was from fear or adrenaline guiding her, Brittany pushed Lily aside and made a dash for it. The door to Lily's room grew smaller as she cleared the corridors in seconds, hurtling down the dark and winding stairs.

Taking two to three steps at a time, she rushed past the portraits with their faces glaring down disdainfully at her. And there, right in the centre of the hallway, was the set of double doors.

Brittany grabbed the rusty handles with both hands. She pulled and yanked, ignoring the strains in her muscles even if she was certain her arms were going to be ripped from their sockets.

The doors creaked on their hinges, parting only a smidgen wide, but just enough for Brittany to squeeze through the doors. She stumbled forward, and the first gust of fresh night air hit her straight in the face.

She was finally outside the mansion. But she wasn't home free yet.

The screams of a screech owl descended upon Brittany. She held her arms up to her face, bracing herself for an attack.

Only then did she realize said owl was perched on the dead tree a few yards away from the house. Perhaps it was on her side, calling to her to point the way out.

She didn't need time to guess. Heartbeats racing, Brittany ran along the pathway to the iron grilles – the last stretch before she could finally be rid of this place.

But as she approached the dead tree, an unusual sight caught her eye – something she was certain she hadn't seen before when she first arrived.

There was a trench of some sorts, dug right under the protruding roots of the tree. Peering over the gap, it looked like a yawning black hole; almost deep enough to bury the chest that nearly suffocated her seconds ago.

And just inches away from the trench, as if warning her not to step further or risk falling into the hole, an oblong slab of black marble rested; polished to the point where Brittany could see her own face gasping back in sudden realization.

This wasn't just a piece of shiny rock lying beside a trench.

This was the headstone that marked a freshly dug grave.

_But then – who did this?  
_

* * *

"BRITTANY!"

A shriek like nails on a chalkboard rent the silent night. Lily was running pell-mell towards Brittany, the doll tucked safely under the nook of her left arm.

It would have been a harmless gesture, if not for the piece of glass Lily was carrying – as huge as her own arm. She was swinging it like a wild fire poker, grazing her arms while her screams were fueled with hysterics.

"You broke my favourite doll! You ruined my slumber party! _NOW I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY!_"

She rammed into Brittany with the strength of a football player, pinning her to the ground.

The glass hovered in mid-air, a moment of triumph in Lily's eyes as she held it up before bringing it down –

Brittany screamed as she caught the sharp end with the edge of her fingertips. No matter how much she struggled, she could not get Lily off her. Both girls were now trapped in a death match, one yearning to carve her tormentor while the other fought for her life.

The shimmering end of the glass was inches away from Brittany's eyes. She could see the glint in its tapered point, hungry to leave a mark on her pretty face.

Whatever thoughts she had of Lily being fragile and weak were now slowly being squeezed away as the girl kept her firm grip on the chipette's neck.

"I'm sorry, Brittany. Truly I am," whispered Lily. "But all I wanted was to have a friend. And you… you chose to spit in my face. That's not very polite for a houseguest.

"So, you leave me no choice… but to punish you."

Brittany's sobs were mingled with fits of gasping chokes. Her eyes began to roll upwards, her cheeks turning a shade blue, when she spotted it.

The doll was sprawled out on the dirt, just an arm's reach away. It must have dropped during the scuffle, and now its owner wasn't paying it the slightest attention, having other murderous thoughts on her mind.

_M-must… do something - fast! C-can't breathe…_

In a flash, Brittany tugged her arm free and made a wild swipe. She grabbed a chunk of hair, and without thinking, threw the wretched thing with all her might.

The sudden clatter caused Lily to look up and scream. She dropped the piece of glass, everything else forgotten. "Brittany! Don't worry, Mommy's here for you!"

As Lily leapt to save the doll, Brittany sat up with a jerk, her knees bending upwards to her chest. She turned around, only to watch as Lily tripped over a root and fell, her body plummeting like a rock.

Brittany lunged forward, reaching an arm out to grab Lily, but it was too late.

There was a sickening thud as she heard the crack of bones hitting the ground.

* * *

Cautiously, Brittany approached the edge of the tree and peered down.

Lily was lying spread-eagled in the grave, face-first. Her neck was twisted at an odd angle, making her look like a contortionist act gone horribly wrong. There was already a trickle of blood oozing out of her ear, as if the life was leaking from the only available orifice.

_She can't be… is she?_

Remembering what little she learnt in science class, Brittany dipped her fingers next to Lily's nose, taking great care not to disturb her face. She felt nothing. Then she grabbed Lily's wrist, lifting it up as it dangled like one of her puppets.

There was no pulse.

* * *

The truth stunned Brittany to the core. She clasped her hands over her lips.

_Oh shit! Lily! I killed Lily! I killed somebody! No, wait! I didn't do anything – it was an accident! She tripped and fell! But… I… I can say it was in self-defence! I mean, she was the one who tried to kill me! It wasn't my fault!_

Brittany glanced around her wildly, before looking down into the grave, then back up again. There was no one else in this godforsaken ground, except the tree and the withered grass as her witness.

She knew what she had to do.

There was a shovel leaning casually against the tree. Brittany had to drag it all the way. It was heavy, but it would do the job just fine.

"_Hi! Do you want to be my friend?_"

Brittany jumped, her thoughts vanished in the moment. She had completely forgotten about the doll. It stared back at her from its resting spot, just inches above the grave as if it saw the whole thing.

Venting her rage in one last scream, Brittany aimed a well-deserved kick at the doll. She watched it drop like a dead dog, finally resting alongside its creepy master.

Fear coursed through her veins as she dug furiously into the soil, tearing up chunks of earth. The momentum kept her going while she gritted her teeth, determined to make sure every inch of Lily – and the doll – had disappeared from the face of the earth.

Only when she was certain she had put enough soil between her and Lily did she make a run for it, pushing herself past the iron grilles and tripped on the curb.

_My God… What have I done?_

The tears streamed uncontrollably down Brittany's face as she half ran, half stumbled along the way.

Her journey back home was going to be a long and dreadful one.

* * *

_**The End... **_

_**...**_

_**...**_

_**...**_

_**...**_

_**...**_

_**Or is it?**_

_Okay, I know what you're thinking: "Wait, didn't he just say it's the end? Last chapter?"_

_Well..._

_Since when in horror movies does the monster not make an attempt at one final scare?_

_So you'll get one more chapter. Just one more. And then it's a wrap. For reals._

_Until then, see you!_

_~ Wind_


End file.
